Oh, that's not so bad... Cyrus pondered.

However, his thoughts stilled as Leal delved further into the subject.

"There are also rumors," she began, slicing into some sort of salmon, "decades old, about humanoid anomalies lurking just beyond people's sight. But nothing was ever found. There's never any genuine evidence of such stories."

Now, that was unsettling. Yet both Blake and Dílis remained composed, their expressions betraying no hint of panic to the story.

Business as usual.

Dílis then gestured to a red dot within the forest and remarked, "We'll need to reach the cache site and restock before proceeding. Have any reports from earlier patrols regarding anything out of the ordinary?"

Blake shook his head. "Nothing noteworthy except for some new beast tracks we stumbled upon."

Leal nodded, her manicured nail tracing the river on the map. "We'll follow the river. It'll enhance Morgan's attack power and provide a valuable resource against ambushes despite adding more hours to our journey."

Blake smiled, tucking a fiery hair into the back of his ear. "Want me to make an ice boat?"

"No, no, no," Dílis interjected with a vehement shake of her head. "It's too cold, and I don't want to start a fight with frozen legs."

Blake broke out in a hearty laugh that soon drew Dílis along with him. It was infectious enough that both Cyrus and Leal smiled in the end. But the ladder soon shifted her gaze to the space beyond the Shifting Forest, lost in thought.

"There are abandoned villages between the forest and Mellor," Leal voiced out, drawing an imaginary circle on the map. "We'll need to thoroughly investigate those for signs of wraith activity."

The others nodded solemnly. Soon, the conversation went full steam, and Cyrus silently allowed himself to fall into the backdrop. He watched the three converse and recalled his own experience with the wraith in the hamlet—at least, he thought it was a wraith as he had no other point of reference. It made him wonder. Would it have been as dangerous to him now that he had his abilities? More importantly, what is a wraith? And was that eyeless, pallid nightmare that took his life constituted as such? Thus, Cyrus nonchalantly asked the trio.

"Are all wraiths powerful? What should I be on the lookout for when I'm finally out there?"

The trio turned their attention to him. Blake and Dílis appeared crestfallen, while Leal maintained a composed demeanor, although her voice carried a somber undertone.

"Wraiths manifest in various forms and strengths. The weakest, known as echos or class ones, often retain a semblance of their former selves." The voices of the other patrons seemed to disappear in lieu of Leal's words. "They are essentially aimless spirits clinging to remnants of their past, easily dispatched. However, plenty of echos are feral and bestial and could easily overwhelm mages." Her gaze then shifted to Blake. "Morgan, time to show that you've been listening."

Blake, who was focused on his meal, sat ramrod straight. "Yes, Ma'am." He reluctantly placed down his eating utensils, his voice grave. "Echoes aren't usually a problem in smaller numbers or if you run far from their hunting sight. It's those class twos...er 'resentments' that come from mages that are troublesome." Blake then shrugged nonchalantly. "Luckily, they often become even uglier than class ones, so they're pretty easy to notice."

"So, the distinction lies in their magical capabilities and appearance?" Cyrus inquired.

Leal shook her head. "They also gain feral animal-like instinct and intelligence. Moreover, resentments pursue their targets beyond their initial transformation site, sometimes trailing individuals for days." Her shoulders minutely slackened. "They hunt and kill and become more powerful if left unchecked."

Leal's words left one's heart heavy. But Dílis pressed forward with the subject, her finger tracing over Mellor on the map.

"Abandoned cities can be hotbeds of wraith activity that need to be purged by us occasionally. If left alone, they could cause a disaster, which is why there is even a subgroup of Wayfarers who go out and hunt wraiths."

Cyrus absorbed the information, his curiosity piqued. "Wait. You said something about 'class ones and twos.'" Seeing Dílis nod, he continued. "Then are there such things as class threes?"

The trio exchanged glances.

"If you ever catch wind of a wight in the vicinity," Blake spoke up, his tone grave. "Just run."

Wight? An interesting name, for sure. But just how scary were they?

As if reading Cyrus' thoughts, Leal spoke up: "Their strength is comparable to that of a specialist or even a pre-grandmaster. They're intelligent and typically come with a horde of wraiths at their beck and call." She then paused, her expression darkening. "I shouldn't be divulging this to an initiate, but wights have been known to return from death, often fixating obsessively on their killer."

Cyrus felt a chill run down his spine. A near-immortal intelligent wrath? Why the hell would anyone want to fight them?

"Let's steer clear of such grim topics," Blake interjected with a smile, digging into his fish steak. "On a brighter note, I'm excited for the spectacle tomorrow."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Something is happening tomorrow?" Cyrus frowned, his gaze turning to Blake. "What's that?"

The three exchanged glances once again, with Dílis sighing in the end.

"There's a public execution of members of the Theatrum Umbrea," Dílis whispered. "A few weeks ago, the Spectres found a lead which led to a successful crackdown."

Cyrus' heart lurched in his chest. A few weeks ago? Could this be related to her?

This had to be the fallout from back then. There was an investigation while Cyrus was imprisoned, and even Lord Dílis mentioned something about 'finding a rat's nest.' But why wasn't he made aware of the event? But after a moment's thought, Cyrus' shoulders slacked in relief. The case is probably due to the fact that he had sunk into a shell after the incident.

"We should attend the execution." Leal's response was immediate, drawing the others' attention.

"I agree," Blake chimed in.

"Count me in." Dílis nodded.

Cyrus was taken aback by their unanimous agreement. Were they really planning to witness someone's death firsthand, as if it were just another event? Just like that?

"What about you, Cyrus? Will you come with us?" Leal asked.

Cyrus hesitated when meeting their expectant gazes. He couldn't fathom witnessing an execution, regardless of the individual's crimes.

"You don't have to come," Dílis said reassuringly as if sensing his discomfort.

Blake nodded in agreement while Leal remained silent, her purple eyes locked on the hesitating Cyrus.

"No, no, I'll come," Cyrus eventually relented. "At what time is the event?"

"It's scheduled for the afternoon, but there might be a delay to avoid complications," Black answered, his gaze shifting onto Leal in hopes of confirmation. "But if it's alright with Team Leader, we could leave a little bit later."

Leal nodded decisively, her voice heavy yet firm, "We shouldn't overlook this. Even removing one of these rats is cause for celebration."

Cyrus almost raised his eyebrows but remained silent. Where had he heard such a tone? Right. When Lord Dílis spoke of them. And her? It was as if Leal wished to carry out the execution herself. Meanwhile, the others flickered various expressions, mainly concern for their team leader, but they nodded in agreement nonetheless.

Leal sighed, visibly collecting herself. "Standard procedure dictates that executions take place in the open plaza of the Guardsman's headquarters. So, we'll convene at the Wayfarer headquarters to relieve our travel equipment before heading over."

With her done, that topic ended. The conversation then shifted back to the logistics of Team Breeze's upcoming travel. And yet... Cyrus couldn't shake the impending execution from his mind. He glanced at each member; each either remained composed or expressed unwavering confidence. And it was oddly reassuring. It was like they were treating this and tomorrow's event like any other task. Maybe with enough experience, one could even see the most macabre or frightening scene before them without batting an eye.

Or perhaps this world was just insane.

And Cyrus couldn't hazard a guess at that moment. He instead swallowed his thoughts. At least Cyrus tried not to think about The Weeper at the hamlet as Team Breeze spoke of wraiths and their expedition. At the same time, he made an effort to match Team Breeze's upbeat disposition, engaging in jokes and light conversations to ease his nerves. While not a social chameleon, Cyrus had learned from a young age the importance of fitting in with a group lest they leave him isolated. But it wasn't just about networking or seizing opportunities; it was about creating vibrant memories that colored his life. And if the group didn't suit him, there would always be more waiting for exploration.

Time flew by as the day retreated. The following day, a tired Cyrus and Dílis found themselves in the Wayfarer's headquarters as the ladder prepared her gear in a designated room for such things.

The room was spacious, almost like a locker room with benches for seating. Along with the lamps for lighting, the wooden walls were adorned with a gray, glowing pattern that glowed on the ceiling like fluorescent lights. However, they were anything but. Rather, Dílis had explained that they were an enchantment for detecting unwanted intruders.

Cyrus kept his gaze on them as he sat waiting on a bench. And while they were interesting, he didn't keep his stare to glean secrets or understand how enchantment works.

No, Cyrus did it to avoid thinking about the impending execution. But the thoughts were bubbling, frothing on the surface, and he needed something else to distract him.

"So about the glowing... ink on the walls. These were crafted by an enchanter, right?" Cyrus eventually turned to Dílis for support, who was storing a leather satchel. "Is it something I could learn to do myself?"

Dílis momentarily paused before continuing her work. "I'm not an expert, but it's technically possible."

"'Technically?'" Cyrus frowned. "Can't anyone learn enchantments?"

Dílis shook her head as she shut the locker door. "Yes, technically, anyone could learn how to enchant. In the same way, anyone can technically make a gun. There are requirements that all enchanters must meet before setting up an enchantment." She then pointed towards the ceiling. "And that is having the correct runes for the right job."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Think of enchantment as a puzzle made up of hundreds of pieces," Dílis said, moving to sit beside Cyrus and resting her hands on her lap. "Let's say you wanted a simple magical enchantment that produces drinking water. Sounds easy, right?" She pulled a metallic water flask from her spatial pouch. "Well, what do you need? Water. Because of that, you'll need a reservoir of sacrificial high-level water runes to materialize drinkable water within the enchantment. But it's not just that. What stops the water runes from constantly generating water until they're depleted? That's where arcane runes come in as a stopgap." Dílis uncapped the flask. "Maybe there's a rune on the cap. When the cap is removed, it deactivates the arcane runes that suppress the water runes from doing their job."

Cyrus hummed as he rubbed his chin as the knowledge dawned on him. "The more complicated the enchantment, the more factors need to be taken into account."

"Yup," Dílis said, nodding. "Moreover, enchantments need a power source that keeps the lights on. Small amounts of mana crystals could be enough for weak enchantments." She then pointed at the ceiling. "While stronger ones, such as magic circles or formations, require liquid mana as fuel."

Cyrus nodded as his gaze remained fixed on the formation lines.

"I see," he spoke quietly. "But what happens if a mage needs runes from a law outside their domain?"

Dílis strained her voice as she stood up. "Well, typically, an enchanter calls for other mages to help them. If they need to make a floating device, an aeromancer offers their runes to the project." Cyrus' gaze followed hers toward the exit. "But that's enough magic tutoring for now. We're going to be late if we stick here any longer."

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